Building component stacking system



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. James 0. Adams A r r'omvs r J. o. ADAMS June 30, 1970 BUILDING courousur STACKING SYSTEM Filed June 17, 1968 3 mm y El June 30, 1970 J. D. ADAMS BUILDING COMPONENT STACKING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1968 INVENTOR. James. 0. Adams United States Patent 3,517,834 BUILDING COMPONENT STACKING SYSTEM James D. Adams, Colorado Springs, Colo., assignor to J. D. Adams Co., Colorado Springs, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Filed June 17, 1968, Ser. No. 737,604 Int. Cl. B65g 57/28 US. Cl. 214--7 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Pre-fabricated wooden building components are used extensively throughout the construction trade, and particularly in the construction of small buildings such as family dwelling units, etc. Such components include pre: fabricated trusses, both roof and floor, wall panels, and the like, manufactured at a central factory and then trucked throughout the area surrounding the factory. Many different construction companies will use the products of one pre-fabricator, which, of course, raises manufacturing and storage problems since many different types of pre-fabricated components must be prepared to satisfy the needs of hte various contractors. Roof trusses (generally a combined roof truss and rafter component) particularly are difiicult to handle and store as they are most generally triangular in shape, but are quite thin in relation to their length and height. For single family dwelling units, such trusses are usually made of two-byfour and/or two-by-six lumber ranging in sizes from some 12 feet to over 40 feet in length and with a height of the triangles ranging from 2 to feet or more. These pro-fabricated components have their lumber constructional members secured together by various means, a commonly used one being a toothed metal gusset plate nailed into the position over both sides of each point of the lumber members. Each truss has a number of joints, usually more than 10 which increases the weight of the truss, and as the length of the truss increases these joints weaken the lateral strength and stability of the truss. While two men can easily handle such a truss, with one at each end, it is not a recommended procedure since the bending of the truss induces unwanted stresses in the joints and may even loosen the gusset plates holding the lumber components together.

Included among the objects and advantages of the present invention is a handling stacking system for building components, moving horizontally disposed pre-fabricated building components from an assembly point to a vertical stacking and handling position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system for moving pre-fabricated building components in a horizontal position, from a fabrication center to a stacking center and then moving the horizontally disposed comlCC These and other objects and advantages of the present invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a generally schematic top plan view of a. stacking system according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the stacking of FIG. 1 with the truss elevating mechanism in vertical stacking position; and

FIG. 3 is end elevational view of the elevating system of a stacking system according to the invention.

In the device selected for illustration, a plurality of roller stands 10 are arranged on the ground or floor in position to accept and transfer a horizontally disposed truss, shown in general by numeral 12, from a fabricating jig (not shown) which may be placed a substantial distance away from the stacking area, to the stacking area. Such roller stands are conventional, and in general provide a series of rollers mounted a short distance off the floor to permit flat members to be pushed along the rollers and transferred from point to point. Of course; other types of rollers or conveying systems may be used to transfer the trusses from the assembly point to the point of stacking. When the roller stands are used, they should be preferably placed such a distance apart that the truss is well supported along its length to prevent bending of the truss as it moves along a conveyor. Roller stands placed 6 to 8 feet apart adequately support most trusses.

At the terminal of the conveyor, a bumper or stop 14 is provided which prevents further movement of the truss along the conveyor and aligns it in position for the stacker. The bumper and the roller stands are normally movable to accommodate various sizes of trusses. Adjacent the end of the conveyor is a powered conveyor, shown in general by numeral 16, which includes a base 18 and a pair of powered rollers 20 and 22, powered by an electric motor 24, suitably geared down and connected to the rollers to provide rotation of the rollers towards the stop 14. This accurately positions the truss on the conveyor agaist the stop in position for the elevating means, described below.

The powered conveyor rollers accept the end of the truss as the truss approaches the powered unit and pushes it in a positive motion against the stop 14 and maintains it against the stop.

Also, mounted adjacent the stop 14 is a truss elevating mechanism shown in general by number 30, which includes a pair of extensible cylinder and piston arrangements 31 and 32 each having a truss holding bracket 35 in the piston. The truss holding brackets 35, which are short fingers extending outwardly from the cylinder pistons,-

contact the inside edge of the lower chord of the truss being elevated, supporting the truss on the cylinders 31 and 32 during lifting movements, shown in FIG. 2. The cylinders are mounted on a pivot bar 36, pivotally mounted on pivot stanchion supports 37 and 38 at each end thereof providing means for raising the elevating cylinders from a generally horizontal to an upright position. The pivot bar is turned by means of a pair of pivoting cylinders connected to a lever arm depending downwardly from the bar 36. One such pivoting cylinder 38 is shown in FIG. 3. These pivoting cylinders (one at each end) are actuated to pivot the pivot bar 36 raising and lowering the elevating cylinders. The elevating cylinders move to a horizontal position, shown in FIG. 3 which is below the top of the rollers of the roller stand and below the powered rollers to permit free travel of the trusses being conveyed along the roller stands. The held trusses on the elevating cylinders are a substantial distance from the center of pivot, therefore, a substantial moment is induced on the elevating cylinders and pivot bar, and to compensate for the moment counter weights 40 and 41 are mounted in opposed relation to the elevating cylinders, thus easing the power requirements for lifting the trusses to stack position. The elevating cylinders may have their pistons in extended position when horizontal to move the truss to its stacking elevation, or by suitable valving, the elevating cylinders may be made to actuate as they approach vertical position to decrease the moment on the pivot bar 36. As the elevating cylinders approach an upright position they are extended. The elevating cylinders are then moved past vertical over stacking racks and retracted lowering the truss onto the racks and when the truss rests on the racks the truss holding brackets are lowered from contact with the truss lower chord on further retraction of the cylinders, to deposit the truss on the racks. The elevating cylinders are then returned to horizontal.

Stacking racks are mounted adjacent the elevated mechanism for holding trusses in vertical position. One such rack is mounted at each end to support a truss at each end. A stacking rack 50' (FIG. 2) is mounted on rails 51 on one side of the elevating means a rack 52 is mounted on rails 53 on the opposite side. The racks are made the same and the description of rack 50 will sufiice for the description of the other rack. The rack includes a base 55 mounted on track running wheels 56, and includes a pair of uprights 57 braced by bracing 58. An adjustable extension 59 is telescoped in each upright 57, and a cross-bar 60 is mounted between the adjustable uprights 59 and adjustable to provide a full face engagement with the trusses. The cross-bar 60 includes a gathering cylinder 61, mounted longitudinally on the cross-bar 60 with its piston rod 62 reciprocablelongitudinally of the cross-bar, having a retractable head on its piston rod 62 with retractable fingers arranged to move toward the truss elevating means to contact a truss and then retract to pull a truss on the cross-bars away from the end adjacent the elevating cylinders into stowed position as shown at 70 (-FIG. 1) wherein a plurality of trusses are positioned on the storage racks. By suitable valving the gathering cylinders in the cross member 60 are actuated when the truss is placed on the cross-bars so that the truss is grasped and pulled back away from the elevating mechanism. In this manner, a series of trusses may be pulled in parallel position onto the rack. In many instances a bundle of five or six or more of trusses are secured together by means of steel tie bands and the cylinders move each truss in order from its place of deposit adjacent the elevating structure back away therefrom.

A control console 75 is provided in a position for easy access by a user so that the various cylinders may be controlled manually. All the cylinders may be operated automatically to raise, deposit, and move the truss back on the rack. The storing racks 50 and 52 are provided with lock means, shown operable by a lever 71 and it is understood that any kind of lock means may be used to position the racks to accommodate the various lengths of trusses which are stacked.

While the invention has been illustrated by reference to the particular embodiment there is no intent to limit the spirit or scope of the invention to the precise details so set forth except as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A stacking system for prefabricated wooden roof trusses comprising (a) roller conveyor means, including at least one powered roller and a stop spaced a distance apart whereby a truss on said conveyor means is positioned by said powered roller against said stop, arranged to position a truss in generally horizontal position along the side of a storage area with the apex of the truss adjacent said storage area;

(b) a pair of elevating cylinders mounted on a pivot bar and extending away from said storage area in horizontal position and arranged in horizontal position to be under a truss on said conveyor;

(c) a truss holding bracket mounted on each piston rod of said elevating cylinders in position to contact the lower chord of a truss and support the truss on said elevating cylinders during pivoting of said cylinders and extension of said piston rods;

(d) a pair of spaced apart stacking racks mounted in said storage area in position to support an inverted roof truss in vertical position;

(e) pivot cylinder means connected to said pivot bar to pivot the same and elevate said attached elevating cylinders;

(f) said pivot bar being positioned to permit said elevating cylinders to extend over said stacking racks when said elevating cylinders are pivoted past the vertical whereby a held truss is placed over said stacking racks and retraction of said piston rods deposits the truss on said stacking racks; and

(g) a gathering cylinder mounted on each said stacking rack arranged to contact a truss deposited on said racks and pull the same away from the end adjacent said elevating cylinders.

2. A stacking system according to claim 1 wherein said stacking racks are wheeled for adjusting the distance between them.

3. A stacking system according to claim 2 wherein said wheeled stacking racks are mounted on rails.

4. A stacking system according to claim 1 wherein said pivot bar is counter-balanced opposed to said extending elevating cylinders.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,800,992 7/1957 Kuper 214-7 X 3,178,041 4/1965 Wheat 214-6 X 3,387,720 6/1968 Wilkin 2146 3,389,812 6/1968 Jureit et al 2147 3,411,639 11/1968 Diyon 2l4-7 X 3,437,216 4/ 1969 McGlinchey 2l47 OTHER REFERENCES German printed application, 1,180,681.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner R. J. SPAR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 214-1, 8, 

